John Burgoyne

John Burgoyne (24 February 1722-4 August 1792) was a General of the British Army from Sutton, Bedfordshire. Burgoyne would command troops during the Fantastic War between Portugal and Spain and the American Revolutionary War, which saw him surrender at the battles of Saratoga in 1777 after a horrible defeat. His career ruined, he was briefly commander-in-chief, Ireland from 1782 to 1784, succeeding John Irwin and preceding William Augustus Pitt.

Biography
Burgoyne was a raffish British aristocrat. In the Seven Years' War he proved a bold and aggressive commander, distinguishing himself in an expedition to defend Portugal against Spanish invasion in 1762. In May 1775, he was one of three major-generals - with William Howe and Henry Clinton - sent to revive operations in America.

Moving south
Burgoyne believed the American forces would collapse under energetic attack, but was frustrated in his desire for decisive action until 1777, when he obtained authorization to lead troops from Canada down the Hudson River into New York. Dragging his artillery up a mountain to a dominant vantage point, Burgoyne took Fort Ticonderoga with startling ease in July. However, his subsequent advance southward through wild territory ran into mountig logistical difficulties. Trapped at Saratoga, he negotiated a controversial surrender that permitted his return to Britain. He never commanded an army again.